Fighting For a Fair Schedule

If there’s one thing about the National Hockey League that really irritates me, it would have to be the unbalanced schedule. Maybe I’m way too strict about consistency, but is it too much to ask for a little steadiness? Is it really important to saturate hockey fans with more games featuring division rivals, at the expense of fairness?

It bothers me how the NHL cares more about marquee matchups for big TV ratings, than making sure every team has a balanced regular season.

Granted, the NHL is not the only culprit in this matter. Major League Baseball and the National Football League are notorious for ensuring their schedules rely more on large audiences than equality. The National Basketball Association’s schedule does ensure some consistency, but it’s not completely perfect either.

The four main professional sports league in North America can be just as successful as they are now with schedules that are fair and balanced.

A consistent schedule will give each team a fair assessment of how they rank against the competition. And the NHL should really consider taking up this campaign and become an example of equal opportunity.

It is a perfect opening for the League to set itself up as a leader in professional sports, and garner more positive attention -  something the league desperately craves, especially in the United States.

Just look at the Montreal Canadiens. From Oct.1 until the end of the regular season, the Habs will play Western Conference teams about four to eight times per division. This pales in comparison to Montreal’s schedule against Eastern Conference teams - about 18 to 24 times per division. This adds up to a ratio of 64 games against the East to 18 games against the West.

That just seems ridiculous.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the days when an NHL schedule would have a team play each conference rival four times and each team in the opposing conference twice. It was neat, tidy and gave everyone a fair shot.

Now I understand a Canadiens/Bruins matchup will attract more eyeballs than, for example, a game that features the Habs playing the Anaheim Ducks. But there still needs to be some form of balance.

Therefore, I propose the following solution: During the regular season, the Eastern teams play only each other, ditto for the Western teams and never shall the two sides meet - unless it’s the all-star game or the Stanley Cup final.

Following in the footsteps of the 1995 lockout-shortened season, the League should adopt an inter-conference schedule. This will allow teams to play their division rivals often, while maintaining a fair and balanced schedule. It would also spell the end for any crossover rules, making things less confusing for casual fans.

An inter-conference schedule will make the all-star game more appealing. The best players from both conferences crossing paths, squaring off for bragging rights and (if NHL should choose to follow baseball’s lead) home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup final.

Speaking of Lord Stanley’s Cup, an inter-conference schedule will even make the final more significant.

The best of the West will take on the best of the East. Two teams that have yet to play each other. There’s no recent history or precedent. The only way to find out which team and subsequently, which conference is better is to tune in.

I dare you to tell me that is not intriguing. One of the reasons why the World Series and Super Bowl became significant was because their original concepts featured teams from rival leagues battling for the right to be called the best in the world.

The Stanley Cup has already achieved a high status and an inter-conference schedule will only boost that stature.

For now, the NHL will continue to use its schedule and this will only distort the League’s legitimacy. How could a championship team be taken seriously when its path was completely different from several other teams?

Equality will bring legitimacy.

Hopefully, the NHL will realize this and instigate an inter-conference schedule, or at least go back to the way it use to be.